The Health and Social Committee of the Shura Council commenced this morning (Thursday) its review of the Draft Unified Voluntary Work Law (System) of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States during a meeting with specialists from the Ministry of Social Development to discuss the draft’s objectives, provisions, and key regulatory aspects. The meeting was held within the framework of the Council’s legislative mandate to examine draft legislation referred to it and express its opinion thereon.
During the meeting, chaired by H.E. Abdullah Al Hamhami, Deputy Chairman of the Health and Social Committee, and attended by the Committee Members, His Excellency welcomed the specialists from the Ministry of Social Development, underscoring the importance of institutional cooperation between the Shura Council and the competent government entities in enriching legislative studies and formulating informed views that support the continued development of the Sultanate of Oman’s legislative framework.
His Excellency noted that the Committee is undertaking a comprehensive review of the draft law, focusing on the rationale behind its introduction, the objectives envisaged by its adoption, and its anticipated impact on regulating the voluntary sector and enhancing its contribution to community development. He added that the Committee has raised a number of observations and inquiries concerning various aspects of the draft, which were discussed with the Ministry’s specialists during the meeting.
The specialists from the Ministry of Social Development presented the draft law’s principal features, explaining that it seeks to regulate and develop voluntary work across the GCC Member States and encourage greater participation by individuals and institutions in community initiatives and programmes through the establishment of a unified legislative and regulatory framework governing voluntary work, while strengthening governance and coordination among the relevant authorities.
They further explained that the draft assigns the Ministry of Social Development responsibility for overseeing the implementation of its provisions, in coordination with the competent authorities, to harmonise procedures governing voluntary work, enhance its administration, and encourage voluntary initiatives in accordance with the legislation applicable in each GCC Member State.
The meeting also reviewed the draft law’s principal regulatory provisions, including those governing the rights and obligations of entities benefiting from voluntary work.




The Draft Unified Voluntary Work Law (System) of the GCC Member States forms part of the Gulf-wide efforts to develop legislation governing voluntary work and establish a unified legal framework that promotes the culture of volunteering, enhances the effectiveness of community initiatives, and reinforces the principles of social responsibility, in line with the shared development objectives of the GCC Member States.